


Like A Pig For Slaughter

by Azulastalker



Category: Doctor Who (2005), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-17
Updated: 2018-09-16
Packaged: 2019-07-13 10:04:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 13,016
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16015649
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Azulastalker/pseuds/Azulastalker
Summary: The Doctor is given instructions on what to do when he encounters a specific girl. He follows those instructions and she hates him for it, or does she? Loki/OC Captain America/OC Summary is confusing, but so is time travel





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This takes place about season 3 of Doctor Who (2005 version). Think of Ava as randomly inserted before Martha.

Ava jumped back as the door swung open, revealing a tall man with messy brown hair wearing glasses. He held some type of device that glowed blue in his hand.

"Sorry, just checking for some residual energy. Preferably from a Sanguinal spacecraft. They usually tend to go for electronics and such, just feed off the energy." He seemed to ramble off. "Probably why they're in this electronics store and hey, are you here all by yourself?"

His question caught her off guard and she scrambled for an answer.

"Um, yes, I'm the lowly intern and they all took a day off and left me here." She explained. "Probably cause it's a Saturday."

He nodded at her answer, staring at her a minute before leaving the room. Ava rushed after him.

"These things, these Sanginel-"

"Sanguinal." He corrected her.

"Sanguinal. They aren't harmful, are they?" Ava asked, almost jogging to keep up with his long stride.

"Only if they manage to absorb enough energy to create a laser blast, which may happen. Then they'll probably go off into the world and absorb as much energy as they can, destroying as much as they can in their path." He didn't look at her and instead began using the object in his hand to seemingly search for the creatures. "Ah! Found them! In the sockets, of course."

He had pressed the glowing blue object against the socket as he said this, then put it in his inside jacket pocket.

"Come on now, don't want to bother this nice lady anymore. Come on out." He spoke into the socket.

Almost immediately, what looked like lightning flew out of the socket and onto the ground in front of them. It grew arms and legs and a head and there looked to be a handful of them. Ava's eyes grew wide at the sight.

"Sorry to evict you, but it's not nice to take energy without asking for it. I bet you didn't even ask her, did you?" He gestured to Ava, who looked at him and the creatures quite confused. "Now please leave."

The creatures shrieked and zapped him, going back into the socket.

"Ah! That wasn't nice. Guess we're going to have to do this the hard way. They can't be able to leave this shop." He turned to Ava. "Run. Now. As fast as you can away from here. I'll handle them."

Ava paused for a second before running out of the shop. She sprinted down the street before the shop exploded behind her. She fell to the ground and looked behind her, at what used to be her place of employment. She wondered if that man made it out alive. She slowly stood up, still a bit shaky, and looked around for him. She really hoped he was okay. She spotted him walking down one of the alleys.

"Wait! Wait!" She ran to him. "Who are you? What's your name? How'd you know what to do with those things?"

He turned to look at her.

"I'm the Doctor." He replied simply.

"The doctor of what?" Ava asked.

"Just the Doctor." He said. Ava looked at him questionably.

"You can't just blow up a store and leave." She said finally. "How am I supposed to explain that?"

"You can't, really. Most people wouldn't believe you. What's your name anyway?" He suddenly asked, as if remembering.

"Ava. Ava Carson." She told him. His eyes seemed to get a bit bigger before returning to normal.

"How'd you like to travel with me, Ava? Through space and time. Have a couple of adventures like that one in the store?" He asked her. She gapped at his sudden change.

"Go with you? Why would I do that?"

"It's rather fun. We can go anywhere you like, see the universe, see anything really." He gestured around as he talked. "Plus it can get a bit lonely traveling by yourself. What do you say?"

Ava stared at him for a while, thinking. Stay and have to explain that whole ordeal in the store? Or go with him anywhere?

"I'll go with you. Sounds more fun that staying here and dealing with that." She pointed back towards the store. "Lead the way then."

The Doctor lead her further down the alleyway. He stopped in front of a blue box.

"What's this?" Ava asked.

"My spaceship." He replied, putting in a key and turning it.

He opened the door and walked inside. Ava looked inside and saw something definitely other worldly. It was bigger on the inside! With all types of lights and contraptions. Ava looked at the exterior of the box again before looking inside again. The Doctor was pushing some of the controls.

"Take your time. Get used to it. Surprises everyone at first." He said casually.

Ava walked completely around the box before running inside.

"It's a trick. Either the outside's too small or the inside's too big." She said.

"It's the outside. Cloaking device." The Doctor replied.

She looked all around the inside, not believing her eyes. She touched the railing and walked over to the giant contraption in the center, where the Doctor was.

"Do you mind closing the door? Can't go traveling through time and space with the door open." He said.

Ava walked back and closed the door, still having a hard time believing what was right in front of her. Then she walked back where he was.

"Where to? Another planet? Another time? Another planet and another time?" He asked her, standing with his hands in his pockets, awaiting her answer.

"1930. When prohibition was in effect and criminals like Bonnie and Clyde ran the town." Ava rambled off her favorite time period.

The Doctor smiled at her enthusiasm. He began pulled levers and pushing buttons rapidly. "Right then, hold on tight. It gets a bit rough."


	2. Chapter 2

_A Couple of Months of Traveling Later . . ._

Ava twirled the key around her neck. A key to the TARDIS. Her own key! And he did some wonky thing to her phone and now she could get signal anywhere. She loved it. Her and the Doctor had gone on so many adventures and she had seen so much. She never wanted to go home.

The Doctor had said something fast and complicated before running into one of the rooms in the TARDIS. She had waited patiently at the controls, touching the key around her neck. She put down the key and pulled out the Doctor's 3-D glasses, putting them on. She had a habit of taking things from him, small things. He always noticed though and took them back after a day or two. She looked around the TARDIS, everything looking fuzzy except for her hand when she looked at it. The Doctor came back.

"What do these do, anyway? Everything looks all fuzzy." She asked.

He took the glasses off of her and put them inside his jacket.

"They show you Void stuff. Particles that cling to anything that's been through the Void, the space in between universes." He explained.

"So you and the TARDIS have jumped universes? It's all over." She asked.

"Yes." He seemed to get a bit sad at that statement. He instantly perked up. "I have an idea." He pulled out a paper from his jacket, read it quickly, and put it back. "Let's go see Asgard."

"What was that?" Ava asked. She noticed he had been referring to it every once in a while. "That paper?"

"Just a few instructions." He answered quickly.

"When have you ever needed instructions? What is it really?"

"Exactly what I told you. Now I can't tell you anymore, or I might break the universe." He said, he began pulling levers for travel.

"Seriously? Or are you just joking? Tell me!" Ava pleaded.

The Doctor looked at her for a brief second before saying, "Someone on Asgard wants to meet you. Rather desperately." He began pulling and twisting levers.

"Really? Who? Why?" Ava asked, interested.

"Can't say. Whole universe breaking thing." He gestured around the room before continuing to move levers.

Ava smiled thoughtfully. Someone wanted to meet her? On Asgard? Wait . . . what was Asgard?

"What's Asgard?" She asked.

"It's a realm where all the gods and demigods live. Real nice and all. I do warn you, they are on the tall side." He told her.

Ava frowned slightly. She hated being short. No doubt they would all tower her.

"Hold on!" He said, pushing a button and the TARDIS started, the odd thing in the middle moving up and down, making the same sound it always does.

Ava gripped the railing in time as the TARDIS began to shake. It shook back and forth, the Doctor pushing buttons and pulling more levers. Finally it stopped and Ava almost sprang through the door, eager to see Asgard. The Doctor followed behind her.

They were in a wide open room with a throne up on a higher level. It was all shiny and golden. Many different people stood around the throne, their bodies turned towards the throne, but facing the TARDIS. A muscular man with long blonde hair had a huge grin on his face and he thundered towards Ava and the Doctor.

"Doctor! How good it is to see you!" He bellowed, coming over and slapping the Doctor on the back. "Your face has changed again." He turned to Ava. "Who is your companion now?"

"Her name's Ava." The Doctor said. Ava stood next to him, staring open mouth at the world around them. "She's still getting used to the whole glittering-giant-castle thing."

"Hello Ava." Thor lifted her up in a hug. She squeaked in surprise.

"Don't break her! I've only got one." The Doctor warned. Thor put Ava back down.

"A feast! Yes? To celebrate the glorious Doctor's return!" Thor bellowed, raising his hammer.

* * *

The dining hall was set and a feast was made. The Doctor explained as much about Asgard as he could to the confused Ava. The Asgardians laughed and drank and ate. Ava felt very out of place, but the Doctor told her to try to enjoy herself, and she did try. She ended up hanging around Thor, the Warriors Three, and Lady Sif mostly. They made her feel included.

The Doctor, however, approached Odin and asked to speak to him privately, so they went into his throne room.

"What is wrong with the universe this time?" Odin asked the Doctor jokingly.

The Doctor pulled a letter written on old, yellowing paper out of his jacket.

"This letter here is from someone in the future. More specifically Ava. It says here to marry her off to Loki, your son, as a punishment for his crimes on Earth not too long ago. He needs to learn to love the humans, and this is how. They will be married and he will learn to love her. Once she dies, his punishment will be over. He would have learned how to properly love the humans, and never try to rule them again." Odin stared at the Doctor, silently absorbing the information. "But we both know Loki. He'll trap her somewhere else where she will die and he will get a lighter punishment. So you need to put a spell Loki cannot detect on Ava, preferably at the wedding disguised as ceremonial words, that will not have her die until Loki truly loves her and is truly happy with her. Then she will die. Still effective, and Loki can find no way around it."

Odin shut his eyes for a brief second.

"To inflect so much pain on my own child-"

"He killed dozens of humans with no remorse. Do you really want him to be able to do that again?" The Doctor retaliated.

"Loki has never displayed any interest to any females on Asgard, for him to fall in love with a human and then lose her would devastate him."

"It's the only way to get him truly back on the good side. Plus, it was written down as instructions." The Doctor shook the paper in his hand. He stared hard at Odin.

Odin sighed.

"Very well. The wedding will be in a couple of days. Tell your companion and I will tell my son." Odin agreed.

The Doctor nodded and left the throne room, stuffing the letter back into his jacket. He felt bad about lying about where the spell idea came from, but Odin never would have agreed to it if he hadn't said that. He only hoped Ava would forgive him.


	3. Chapter 3

Fandral, the playboy of the Warriors Three, had managed to play on Ava's uncomfortableness with the feast and all the people and had seduced her into his bed. He laid on top of her as they kissed, stroking her sides. She wrapped her arms around his neck, eagerly kissing him back. He began to move her shirt up her stomach, pushing it over her bra. He broke from their kiss.

"You're going to have to help me with these Midgardian contraptions. I've never bedded a woman with one of those before, or that wore pants." Fandral told her.

Ava smirked.

"Well I've never bedded a god before. I guess this is a new experience for both of us." She said.

He leaned down and kissed her again. Ava moved her hands behind her back to undo her bra. The door to his room burst open suddenly, and they both sat up, Ava pulling her shirt back down.

"Stop! Stop stop stop!" The Doctor stood there, his hand extended in front of him in the universal 'Stop' gesture. "Ava, you can't have sex with him!"

"Doctor! What are you talking about?" Ava stumbled out.

The Doctor put his hand down, nervous to explain it.

"You can't because you're engaged to marry Prince Loki." He said. Ava sat there on shock.

"Loki? Prince Loki? Is he the one who wanted to see me?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, but I've lied to you about that. This letter here-" He took out the letter. "-says to marry you off to him. It's a punishment of sorts for his crimes on Earth. He will learn to love a human." He looked right into Ava's heartbroken face. "I'm sorry."

Ava didn't say a word, too distraught. She slowly got off of the bed.

"How long have you known about this?" She asked shakily.

"Ava-" The Doctor began.

"HOW LONG HAVE YOU KNOWN?!" She yelled. "Did you know when you first met me? Was all those adventures to help me learn about alien cultures so this wouldn't all be a shock for me? Were you just raising me like a pig for slaughter?" She spat the last part at him, tears streaming down her face.

"Do NOT quote Harry Potter at me!" The Doctor shot back.

Ava didn't say anything, starting to cry harder instead. There was a short, tense silence.

"I'm so sorry." He said, hating himself for making her cry like that.

"I hate you! I hate you for doing this to me! Why can't you have just left me on Earth?" She fell to her knees and put her face in her hands, sobbing.

"Please. If you do this you will have saved lives. Loki doesn't care about humans, it's your job to make him care so he won't kill them. Not anymore." The Doctor explained.

Ava listened to the Doctor, her crying slowing. Finally she stopped, bringing her face out of her hands.

"I'll do it then. If it'll make you happy." She sniffled.

The Doctor walked over to her and held her tightly.

"There we go. Good girl. The wedding will be in a couple of days. I'll help you prepare. You will not be alone in this." He comforted her.

She leaned into him.

"Thank you, Doctor." Ava said softly.


	4. Chapter 4

Days later, Ava stood in front of her mirror in her room at Asgard, Queen Frigga fixing her hair into a complicated side-braid. Ava wore her wedding dress, which was a white straight dress with short sleeves. She was trying hard not to cry. She would make the Doctor proud. She secretly loved him, but he never even looked at her, so she guessed it was best that she was being married to someone else.

Ava took a shaky breath in. Frigga noticed.

"It will be alright. Loki may be a trickster, but we will all make sure he does not harm you." She assured Ava.

Ava shook her head slightly.

"It's not that. I'll never be able to travel with the Doctor anymore. It was really fun traveling with him." Ava stared at herself in the mirror, more nervous about this marriage than ever.

Frigga stared at Ava through the mirror, putting her hand on her shoulder.

"You will have plenty of more adventures here at Asgard. Being married to Loki will certainly be interesting." She consoled.

Ava nodded her head in understanding. She exhaled deeply and closed her eyes.

"Okay, I'm ready." She said.

Ava was led into the throne room, which was filled with the people of Asgard. There was an aisle for her to walk down, people surrounding it on either side. Odin and Loki stood at the end of the aisle, on the raised platform where the throne sat behind them. Frigga walked around the crowd of people and stood off to the side of Odin and Loki.

Ava stood at the end of the aisle alone, clutching her bouquet of flowers. She took a deep breath, then began her long walk down. Everyone's eyes immediately turned to her. Ava didn't want to look at Loki, barely knowing the god. She instead searched the crowd for the Doctor. If he was here, she could go through with it. He was the only reason she had agreed to this marriage. She spotted him halfway down the aisle. He nodded at her, his face impassive. She nodded back, then turned her head forward, swallowing hard.

Ava reached the end of the aisle and walked up the steps. She gave her bouquet to Frigga and grabbed Loki's hands. She stopped level to him and they stared at each other. Odin cleared his throat and began.

The Doctor watched Ava as she stood there, unhappy but masking it well. He knew she was going to hate him.

" . . . in love in death they will stay together . . . " Odin said.

The Doctor heard the king weave the spell, so inconspicuous he barely noticed it. Then he sunk into the crowd, turning and leaving the room.

"I do." Loki said, staring at Ava impassively.

Ava chewed her bottom lip as Odin asked her.

"Do you, Ava Carson, take Loki to be your lawfully wedded husband?" Odin asked.

Ava opened her mouth to reply, to say that dreaded "I do", when she heard something. She recognized it immediately, that whir whir, slowly getting louder. It was the TARDIS. The Doctor was leaving! Leaving her here!

Ava tore her hands out of Loki's and ran back down the aisle.

"Doctor! Doctor!" She screamed. She held the end of her dress up to stop herself from tripping. Nobody made a move to stop her.

Ava ran down the hallways, getting closer and closer to the TARDIS. She could hear it so much louder now. The whir whir began to become the screeching that signaled the end of the TARDIS leaving.

"No! No! Doctor! Doctor, please!" Ava begged. She was beginning to cry.

She turned a corner and saw the TARDIS. It was so transparent, almost gone. She ran faster, making it to the spot where the TARDIS was just as it disappeared.

"No!" She collapsed on the ground, pounding the floor with her fists. "No no no! Come back! Come back here!"

She began sobbing, curling into herself. Her tears hit the floor. She gripped her thighs through her dress.

"Doctor." She said softly, tears running down her cheeks. They hit the floor every few seconds, creating the smallest splash. "Don't leave me, Doctor."

* * *

It was silent other than her crying. No one had come for her, probably too stunned to chase after her. She knelt there, where the TARDIS and the Doctor used to be, wishing she was with him instead of stuck here. Why had he left her? Why? Soon she heard soft footsteps walk steadily towards where she knelt, but she kept her eyes to the floor. They would want her to go back to the wedding, and she didn't want to, she wanted the Doctor!

Eventually, the person knelt next to her and she turned her tear-streaked face to see Frigga.

"Don't make me go back." Ava begged, her voice hoarse from screaming.

"I know it's hard, but he left because he knew you were taken care of. He knew you would be better off here than traveling with him. Here you will be safe, and you will be loved." Frigga comforted her. She seemed to know of Ava's unreturned affections.

Ava nodded, knowing on some level Frigga was right.

"You can take me back." Ava said. She really didn't want to go back, but right now she had no choice. She would just have to grit her teeth and go through with it.

Ava couldn't believe that the Doctor would just leave her. He had to have some reason for leaving, but he hadn't said anything to her. She was only left with mixed feelings.

The wedding continued where it had left off. Ava said her "I do" and the new husband and wife kissed. No one seemed to acknowledge the fact that Ava had run off, whether it was because of shame or fear of Loki's wrath. After the wedding, there was a feast and after the feast Loki and Ava retired to his rooms, which was now theirs.

* * *

Ava was now sitting in front of a vanity, Frigga undoing her hair of the complicated braid she had put in earlier. Loki was standing nearby, looking bored. Ava stared at herself and her predicament, and held back her tears. She didn't want any of this. She had only done it because the Doctor had said so and he wouldn't lead her to her death, would he? She was doubting that answer when his departure came back into her mind. Did he leave her to die here? Or did he have some other motive? Did that letter he had tell him to leave? Maybe he didn't want to, but he had no other choice. She remembered she had run to her room when she had the time, and found that the psychic paper she had borrowed from the Doctor was gone. She didn't even have that to remember him by.

Frigga had finished with Ava's hair and it now cascaded down her shoulders.

"I'll leave you two be." The queen spoke softly, exiting soon after.

Ava turned to Loki.

"Now what?" She said, emotionlessly.

He smirked at her, walking nearer to her.

"Now . . . now we have a proper wedding night." He said.

His face was inches from hers when he spoke and when he was done, he kissed her fiercely.

* * *

The Doctor sat in the TARDIS, watching a video on a monitor. His eyes were misty and his face was stoic.

" . . . this life." A sad voice spoke from the screen. The screen went black, the video ending.

There was a few tense moments of silence.

"I'm so sorry." The Doctor said, talking to the person who had been on the now-dark screen.


	5. Chapter 5

_Weeks Later . . ._

Life on Asgard had treated Ava nicely. Loki had been as was expected, uncaring towards her. It had the feeling of a tradition arranged marriage, love nowhere to be seen. However, the rest of Asgard had been inviting to compensate for his behavior. Her run-off at the wedding had earned her favor with the people who did not particularly like Loki, including Sif and the Warriors Three.

At random times, Ava would kiss Loki on the cheek, a seemingly loving action that really held no love, something that he never seemed to acknowledge. She did it at least once a day, in the hopes that it would spark something in their marriage that would make it more bearable.

The married couple had been ignoring each other in the garden when Thor had coming running up to them.

"Brother! Ava Carson! I have come to tell you we will be leaving for Midgard tomorrow! I wish to see Jane Foster once again, and Father has suggested I bring you both." Thor explained.

Ava immediately looked up, her eyes filled with joy.

"Earth? ! Tomorrow? !" She shouted. The Doctor had loved Earth. She might be able to see him again. "Yes!"

Ava jumped up from her seat on a bench.

"I'll have to pack immediately. Thank you!" Ava said to Thor, before running off to her and Loki's room.

The two brothers shared a silent look.

"Tomorrow, brother." Thor said before leaving the garden.

* * *

Tomorrow was filled with awkward and tense silence. Thor and Ava could hardly contain their excitement, but Loki merely looked bored. The three of them stepped into the repaired Bifrost early in the morning. Heimdall didn't say a word as he transported them to New Mexico. They appeared in the desert, where Thor had appeared his first time. Ava stumbled after they had landed. Loki reluctantly grabbed her arm to prevent her from falling.

"Sorry. Not used to Bifrosting. It's a lot more disorientating than traveling in the TARDIS." She explained sheepishly.

Thor had already walked halfway there during her explanation and Loki offered no response. She sighed and started walking after Thor. The walk was silent and after almost a mile of walking, they made it to Jane's. Jane and Thor embraced almost immediately and Ava and Loki hung back awkwardly. Ava offered a small wave to Darcy and Erik Selvig. Selvig stared stone-faced at Loki. Once done embracing, Jane turned to Ava and Loki. She immediately became flustered.

"Umm . . . Who is . . . ?" Jane motioned towards Ava.

"This is my sister-in-law, Ava Carson." Thor slung his arm around Ava. "She is from Earth and wished to return."

"Oh." Jane became even more flustered. There was a moment or two or silence.

"You married the guy who tried to take over the world?" Darcy blurted out. Jane looked at her pointedly.

"Married. Forced. Made into a peace offering. Left by her transportation on Asgard. However you want to put it." Ava explained. "But I'm making the most of it." She grabbed Loki's arm. "I mean, there are worse."

"I don't think so . . . " Selvig muttered.

"Actually, yeah. Daleks or Cybermen. Weeping Angels. Slitheen. They're really nasty. Take people's skin and wear it. Tried to sell the Earth." Ava stopped rambling at everyone's looks. "That wasn't really a question, was it?"

Jane smiled awkwardly. "No, not really."

"Oh." There was an awkward silence. "Okay then."

* * *

The awkwardness never left the group the entire day. Loki and Ava had spent it off to the side, away from everyone else, and no one made a move to involve them in anything. Ava spent her time staring into space thinking about the Doctor. Her mind wondered to that piece of paper he always had with him. He was always looking at it as if it was giving him instructions. She had a suspicion that paper was the reason he had brought her to Asgard in the first place. But where had he gotten it? She turned to her husband.

"Did you give the Doctor instructions?" She asked.

He looked at her briefly before answering.

"No."

"Do you know if anyone else did?"

"No."

"You're so much help." She rolled her eyes and went back to thinking.

Piece of paper. Telling the Doctor what to do. No idea who wrote it or when he got it. Ava's gaze drifted to a nearby table. There was a notepad and pen on it.

No. It couldn't be that simple.

She stared at the paper. It looked to be the same as the Doctor's.

No. No way.

She grabbed the pad and pen. She glanced around and spotted the room her and Loki had been given for the night.

"I'll be back. No killing anyone while I'm gone. No mischief. And no wandering off." A corner of her mouth twitched at her reference to the Doctor. Loki made no sign that he had heard her.

Ava closed the door after herself and sat on the bed. Her mind briefly wandered to what Loki would want to do later on this bed, but she swatted the thoughts away. She put the pen to the paper and sighed. She had to do this.

_Doctor,_

_My name is Ava Carson and one day I will be your companion. We will have many adventures together._

_That being said, one day you must take me to Asgard. There, you will have me marry Prince Loki as a punishment for his crimes on Earth with the conditions that he learns to love me and we stay married until my death, which is when his punishment will be over._

_This may seem odd or even cruel, but you must trust me. It must be done. I'm a big girl, I can handle it. It's not that bad, being married to him. I think I can start to see him opening up to me. Worse things could happen to me and this way I'm somewhere you can find me. Thank you, Doctor._

_Love,_

_Ava_

Ava tore the paper out of the notepad and folded it in half. She wrote "Doctor" on the front. A knock at the door brought her attention up.

"One moment." She said as calmly as she could. She stuffed the pad, pen, and note into a nearby drawer.

Loki entered the room just after she closed it.

"Since when do you knock?" She teased.

"Since you run off." He raised an eyebrow at her.

"Timelord companion stuff. I had to do something so something will happen in the future." She leaned back on the bed.

He simply stared at her and wandered over to the bed, standing in front of her.

"Nothing bad, though." It was more of a command than a question.

"No." She stated simply.

"Show me."

"What?"

"If it's nothing bad, then show me."

"No!"

"Why not?"

"Because it's between me and the Doctor!"

Loki grabbed Ava's face, pulling her closer to him.

"I. Don't. Care." He hissed in her face.

"Thor!" Ava yelled.

Loki pushed her back, letting go of her face in the process. She landed on the bed as the bedroom door opened again. Thor stood, ready to fight.

"What has happened?" He looked between Ava and Loki.

"Nothing."

"Loki's acting out again."

Thor looked to his brother.

"Now, brother-"

"It is none of your concern, Thor." Loki spat.

"I was told by our mother and father to watch after Ava. If you are bothering her-"

"I am not." He said firmly.

Thor looked to Ava. "What has he done?"

"I've done nothing! She's the one keeping secrets!"

"It was just a letter to the Doctor."

"Face it! You'll never see him again. He LEFT you." Loki spat at her. Ava stayed silent.

"I think I'll go out with Jane for a bit. Or Darcy." She said finally.

Ava grabbed her letter from the drawer and pushed her way past Loki and out of the room.


	6. Chapter 6

Darcy and Ava were walking through the small town in New Mexico.

"Marriage troubles?" Darcy asked.

"Something like that. He just refuses to be nice." Ava explained.

"Well he did try to take over Earth."

"But this was supposed to be his punishment. A way for him to see the wrong in his actions by seeing the right in humans. In me."

Ava took her letter out, running her fingers over 'Doctor'.

"And I need to give the Doctor this. So he knows what to do when he meets me."

"And how will you do that?"

"I'll wait. I have to cross his path at some point. That's how he got the letter before."

"Wait. So he got a letter from you before he met you? And you write that letter after he leaves you and give it to him so he leaves you? This time stuff is confusing."

"It stays that way. Gets a little bit better every once in a while, but you're in the dark most of the time."

* * *

The two girls walked until it was dark then went back to Jane's.

"I just hope Loki behaves." Ava whispered to Darcy as they walked inside. She giggled and separated from Ava to talk to Jane.

Ava was left staring down at Loki, who was leaning back on the couch.

"Sorry I can't tell you what I wrote. I can't have you interfering with time and creating a paradox and collapsing all of space and time." Ava said.

Loki's face remained emotionless.

"I shouldn't have yelled." He said through clenched teeth, something Thor obviously made him say. It was as close to an apology she was going to get.

"Going to bed?" Ava asked, walking past him towards their bedroom.

"Yes." He quickly replied, following her.

* * *

"There's some people walking around the desert. Just appeared out of nowhere and asked where there had been an energy transfer." A man at the counter of the diner reported, confused. "It made no sense to me, so I pointed him North."

The entire crew had decided to go to the same diner Jane had taken Thor to before for breakfast. Ava paused in drinking her coffee as she listened.

"Was it a man in a coat with fantastic hair? Talked like he was British?" Ava asked, standing from her chair.

The man turned to look at her. "Yeah."

"With a blue box nearby?"

"Yeah. How'd you know?"

"Where did you say he was again?" Ava cut him off.

"I'd say a couple miles that way." He pointed behind her.

"Thank you." She went to leave, but stopped. "You said people. Who was with him?"

"Some blonde girl."

"Rose." Ava whispered.

"Who?" Darcy blurted out.

"Where are you going?" Jane asked.

"To find him." Ava answered.

"You can't possibly go by yourself." Erik said.

"I have to. Trust me. I'll be back." Ava said. She turned to Loki, raising an eyebrow. "Never see him again?"

Then she practically ran out of the diner. She ran as fast as she could, looking for the TARDIS or any sign of the Doctor. She didn't see anything. She figured the energy transfer he was talking about must be the Bifrost and tried to find where her, Thor, and Loki had landed when arriving on Earth.

Soon, she found them. Their backs were to her. The Doctor was running to the TARDIS with Rose trailing behind him. Ava ran to Rose, holding the letter in her hand. She grabbed her shoulder and Rose jerked back, surprised.

"Who are you?" Rose asked immediately.

"It doesn't matter right now. I need you to give the Doctor this." Ava placed the letter in Rose's hand.

"No way. Not until you answer me." Rose withdrew her hand.

"Listen, you've been with the Doctor a while, yeah? Things happen you can't explain. You start to get used to weird things. Believe me when I say that I would never hurt the Doctor. You can even read it before you give it to him."

* * *

By the time the Doctor had reached the TARDIS and turned to find Rose not behind him. He saw her in the distance, talking to someone. He couldn't make out their face or hear what they were saying.

* * *

"Just please give it to him, okay? It's important." Ava finished.

Rose still looked skeptical, but took the letter this time. Ava looked behind Rose and saw the Doctor heading towards them. She turned and ran back to the town. Rose unfolded the letter and began skimming it. The Doctor reached her.

"Who was that?" He asked, peering after the mystery person.

Rose reached the bottom of the letter.

"I think it was Ava Carson." She said.

"Ava who?" He took the letter from Rose and started reading.

When he was done, he looked up to try to find the mystery woman. She was nowhere to be seen. He put the letter in his coat.

"Doesn't matter now. How about that ice world? Full of giants. Touchy beings." He rambled off.

Rose smiled and followed him into the TARDIS, the random encounter out of her mind.


	7. Chapter 7

Everyone went back to Jane's after breakfast. No one asked about Ava's disappearance at the diner, instead pretending that it didn't happen. She wouldn't have offered an answer anyway. They were all greeted with the sight of Pepper Potts once arriving back at Jane's.

"Oh, hello." Jane said awkwardly at the sight of the woman.

"Miss Potts! How good it is to see you! What business do you have here?" Thor boomed, arms extended.

Pepper waved off the offered hug.

"Tony wanted me to invite you all to New York. He said it's rare that you come down and you might as well come and say hi to all of the other Avengers while you're here." She explained.

"That sounds like fun. I would love to go." Thor said.

"Good. There's a private jet waiting, since not everyone can travel by hammer." Pepper said, a smile on her face.

Excited to travel, everyone packed quickly. Soon they were on the plane heading to Stark Tower.

* * *

Nearly there, Ava looked out the window at New York.

"Oh! There's the Empire State Building! My favorite building! Do you know if it got damaged during the attack?" Ava asked, half to Loki.

He glanced at her, then out the window.

"If it did, obviously not too badly." He replied. Ava frowned at his attitude.

"Can't you just smile? Once? Or is marriage to me that bad?"

"It could be worse."

Ava rolled her eyes, turning her attention back out the window.

* * *

They landed soon, on a private airstrip. Everyone gathered their belongings and headed out. Ava ran to catch up to Pepper.

"Can I go out into New York? Explore a bit? I've always loved New York." Ava asked. Pepper smiled at her.

"I guess you can. There's no harm in it and Stark Tower is pretty hard to miss. Don't be gone more than an hour or two though." Pepper agreed.

Ava nearly leaped with joy.

"Thank you!" She sped off away from the group, after handing her luggage to Pepper.

* * *

Now Ava stood in front of the Hudson River, thinking about pollution and life, wondering exactly how she got here. It had been such a carefree start and now she was thinking about pollution. She shook her head. She didn't have that much time to explore. Next stop: Empire State. She turned around and came face-to-face with her husband.

"Loki . . . ? What are you-?"

"Getting rid of you." He glared at her.

Ava watched as he pulled out a tiny glass ball.

"You can't-!" Her protest was cut short as Loki magicked her into the ball. She banged on the glass, cursing him.

Loki wound his arm back and threw her into the Hudson, hoping to finally be rid of her. He watched as she landed in the water. He smirked. Punishment over.


	8. Chapter 8

Loki stepped into the penthouse at Stark Tower, the same room he had thrown Tony out the window. His smirk was still on his face.

"Where is Ava?" Thor asked upon seeing his brother without his wife.

"Exploring the city. She did say she loved New York." Loki answered him.

A few of the Avengers raised an eyebrow, obviously not believing his tale. The elevator doors opened and someone stormed out.

"You lying, deceitful prick!" Ava shouted. Loki's eyes widened. How . . . ?

* * *

**New York 1903**

A wet and angry Ava washed onto the shores of the Hudson River. Out of the ball, she was back to normal size. She looked around. Definitely a different time period. Dammit Loki. Ava huffed as she realized he had found a way out of his punishment. He was so going to get an earful if she ever saw him again.

* * *

**Brooklyn 1942**

Ava had adapted well to early 20th Century society. She found out years earlier that she didn't age. She had smiled, knowing it was the Doctor's doing and he had to know Loki would do something like this.

Walking past an army recruitment station, she bumped into someone.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" She immediately apologized.

"No, miss, it's my fault." The stranger said. He was a short, scrawny man with blonde hair.

"No. It's mine." Ava insisted.

A smile grew on both of their faces and they laughed.

"I'm Ava. Ava Carson." She held out her hand.

"Steve Rogers." He shook it.

"So were you applying for recruitment?" Ava gestured to the building.

"Yeah. But I have too many health problems to fight." He said, looking down at the ground sadly.

Ava thought back to her days with the Doctor. The Doctor wouldn't prevent Steve from joining those fights.

"Well I think it's wrong that they won't let you fight. As long as someone has heart, they can fight any war." Ava mused. Steve smiled.

"If only you were in charge of recruitment." He joked. They laughed again.

Recognition went across Ava's face as she realized who she was talking to.

"You know what, Steve? Forget about them. One day I think you'll be Captain America, a beacon of hope for all." She said, spreading her hands out like a sign on a building broadcasting his name.

Steve smiled. "Really?"

"Definitely." She nodded her head.

He looked at her and paused. "Would you mind if I took you out?"

"On a date?" Ava was shocked. She was still married . . . technically . . . somewhat . . . Her husband threw her into a river to die, she could go on a date! "Of course."

She smiled at him. He smiled back.

* * *

They ended up going to the movies. He bought her popcorn and they laughed. After, he walked her home.

"So where are you from?" Steve asked.

"Delaware. Close to New York to visit, but far away enough to miss it." Ava told him.

"I see. I'm from here in Brooklyn."

Ava nodded, her smile leaving her face.

"You know, I was married."

"Hmm?"

"Technically I still am, but he left me for dead so I think that's over."

" . . . I'm sorry."

"In fact I've only ever loved two men and they've both left me for dead." Ava's mind crossed to the Doctor and Loki. She couldn't believe she had been stupid enough to fall for not one, but both of them. "But that's alright. Because I know one day I will meet the love of my life and I'll kiss him on top of the Empire State Building and it'll be hopelessly romantic."

Steve stared at her with empathy as tears started to form in her eyes. She started to smile a bit, remembering something.

"Thanks a lot, Steve. Tonight was fun." She said.

They reached her apartment and stood awkwardly at the doorstep.

"Will I ever see you again?" He asked.

"I hope so." She smiled at him. "But if I don't, just remember the girl who would've let you fight."

Ava unlocked her door and stepped inside, taking one last look at Steve before she shut the door.


	9. Chapter 9

**New York City 1963**

Ava walked down the street of New York, wondering what to do today. Not aging meant more free time. She decided to go to Central Park. She never could get enough of this city. She smiled as she watched couples walk by with children or by themselves. Her mind crossed briefly to Steve, but she shook it away. She turned her attention away from the path and to an open field. She walked forward into it, determined to lay in the shade of a tree.

She saw something blue out of the corner of her eye and turned. She stopped walking completely. There was the TARDIS. Sitting in the center of Central Park. But where was the Doctor? Not two seconds later, he walked out of the spaceship. Ava ducked behind a tree. She peeked out and watched as he walked away. He was alone. Could it be after he left her? When he traveled alone, maybe for a short while?

The Doctor was gone and Ava was left staring at the TARDIS. She approached it, remembering the times and places it had taken her. She placed her hand on the handle.

"Please. I need to get inside. I told the Doctor what a wonderful idea getting married to Loki was and now I have to tell him what a mistake it was. Maybe he can save me." She pleaded to the TARDIS. She always had a feeling it was alive.

She tugged on the handle and, to her surprise, it opened.

"Thank you." She whispered.

She stepped inside, closing the door after her and approached the console in the middle. She had to leave him a message. How to do that . . . Paper? No. Not again . . . Video? Hmm, maybe, but where would she record it?

As if the TARDIS could hear her thoughts, a monitor dropped down. Ava sat down in a chair nearby and pulled the monitor down to her level. She pushed a red button she was hoping was Record and, after the word 'Record' had shown up on the screen, she began to talk.

"Doctor, I know I said marrying Loki was the best thing for you to do and I'd be safe and fine, but it wasn't. He hates it, every second, and I know because he put me in a glass ball and threw me into the Hudson River, transporting me back more than a hundred years just to get rid of me. He's so stubborn and non-agreeable that it's been just awful for me. And now I've spent sixty years waiting for time to catch up to the day he threw me into the river just so I can yell at him." She paused. "But don't blame yourself. I told you to do it. It's my fault. And now I have to live with it. I know I can handle him, Doctor. But . . . maybe some help would be nice. But for now I have to deal with this life."

Ava pushed the red button again and 'Record' disappeared off the screen. Ava sighed. She reluctantly stood up and walked out of the TARDIS, petting it one last time before she walked away.


	10. Chapter 10

**New York 2012**

"You lying, deceitful prick!" Ava shouted at her husband as she stepped out of the elevator.

Everyone's gaze turned to her. Steve's eyes widened.

"Ava . . . ?" He said.

"How are you here?" Loki asked, surprise on his face.

"Whoa whoa, wait." Tony said. "What just happened here?"

"What happened here is my HUSBAND put me in a glass ball and threw me into the Hudson River, transporting me back one hundred years. But lucky for you I didn't age, so I'm still alive!" Ava yelled. Her nostrils flared. Loki looked a bit frightened.

"Now listen, dear-" He tried.

"You don't get to talk! You don't ever get to talk to me again! I tried to be nothing but nice to you and you screwed me over anyway! I hate you!" Ava screamed.

She turned and walked right back into the elevator, her rant done. She pushed the button for the ground floor and rode it down. Still a bit mad, she decided to go to her favorite place: the Empire State Building. That would cool her down.

* * *

Ava looked out at New York City. Tears had started to form and she wiped them away bitterly. She was a fool to trust him or even fall for him. Stupid her. Stupid Ava.

"I'm sorry." Half-expecting Loki, Ava spun around angrily. Instead she looked up into the face of Steve. She calmed down a bit.

"It's not your fault." She said, turning back around. Steve stood next to her.

"I can see why you like it up here." He said. Ava stayed quiet. He tried again. "It's peaceful. Relaxing."

Not a word.

"Hey, did you ever have that kiss up here? One with a man you loved?" He tried again. This time she looked at him.

"No." Tears were still in her eyes.

"Well I think it shouldn't be with one who made you cry." He said. "Especially not for the girl who would've let me fight."

One corner of her mouth lifted in a half-smile.

"You deserve better." He continued. "Much better than Loki."

"Mister Rogers, are you hitting on me?" She teased. He laughed.

"Maybe I am. Maybe I couldn't get that girl out of my head."

"Well maybe I couldn't get that soldier out of my head." She looked up at him.

There was a moment of silence between them. The smiles left their faces, turning into more anticipating features. Steve leaned down, Ava meeting him. They kissed lovingly, both releasing hidden emotions, at the top of the Empire State Building.


	11. Chapter 11

Ava and Steve got closer after that point. They hung out together and were always touching one way or another, either by holding hands or just touching elbows on a tabletop. Ava was even sleeping in Steve's room (she refused to acknowledge Loki's existence). One looking at them could say they were in love.

They were all still at Stark Tower, the Avengers and Jane, Darcy, Erik Selvig, Pepper, Ava, and Loki. They were sitting around talking about battling in New York on that fateful day. Loki hung back, as always. He sat on the very edge of the crowd of people, close enough to be seen but far enough to stay out of the conversation. Ava was snuggled next to Steve, his arm around her shoulders.

"Then I come around this building with one of those giant beasts following me and Natasha said, "I don't see how that's a party."" Tony recounted. "I didn't have time to laugh then, but it was hilarious later."

Everyone chuckled.

"I'm actually surprised. You two are more fun than I thought you would be." Tony said to Natasha and Clint. "I thought you'd be sticks in the mud."

"Just because we're SHIELD agents doesn't mean we're all like Fury." Natasha said.

"True." Tony took a sip of his whiskey. He turned to Ava. "So, traveling in space and time? How many monuments of me are there? Round up."

Ava giggled. "Well if I'm rounding up . . ." She pretended to contemplate. "Zero."

Laughter went around.

"Seriously? Developed arc reactor technology that fits in my chest AND a new element plus building my own supersuits and there's no trace of me anywhere?"

"Not that I saw."

"Damn. I have to talk to this Doctor of yours."

"Try yelling really loud. He might come." Ava teased.

Tony rolled his eyes playfully. He knew when he was being played with.

"Yeah yeah, sure."

The conversation turned to other battles, this time involving acting out certain fights.

* * *

Loki looked at his wife, cuddling up to another man. He wouldn't say he was jealous, he would just much rather see her dead than with another man. She was still his wife. She shouldn't be going around with Captain Rogers.

His thoughts turned to her new sleeping arrangements and he imagined Rogers touching her as he once did and he wanted to rip his head off. He had claimed her on their wedding night. She was HIS. She belonged to no one but him and if he wanted her dead so his punishment was over, so be it. This was their marriage and Rogers had no business in the middle of it.

Loki needed to get her alone. He needed to tell her how much of a harlot she was being for even smiling at Rogers. Maybe he would even try to magic her away again, but he had the strong feeling he couldn't get out of this punishment the easy way. She was still human and shouldn't even be alive this long, but she was and he knew Odin had to have a hand in this.

No, he would have to actually play by the rules for this one. Less than a hundred years was nothing to him. He'd be done with this soon. But he would not spend the entire time being ignored by that damned woman. He'd much rather have her friendly, as she was before, and being the God of Lies, it would be easy to get her to tolerate him again.


	12. Chapter 12

Ava exited her and Steve's room, after putting her phone to charge. Everyone's rooms were on the same floor, with most of the hangout spots on the floors above. Ava pressed the button for the elevator and waited.

"I know you're mad, but whoring around isn't the solution." Ava turned and saw Loki standing there, a smirk on his face.

She kept her mouth shut and turned back to the elevator doors. She was still mad at him. One hundred years of hatred didn't disappear just like that and she wouldn't fall prey to his tricks. Loki was not fazed by her silence.

"Are you really that petty to not talk to me? We are bound together. You know this as well as I do. There is no avoiding one another. I should know. I tried to kill you."

She tensed. He was getting bold now. Openly admitting that he had attempted murder, just to get her to talk to him. But she wasn't falling for it.

The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Ava rushed in and pushed the top floor, the penthouse where everyone else was currently. Loki came in after her and pushed the button for the floor above them. They would have to spend more time together now. Ava crossed her arms and huffed. It didn't matter. She still wasn't talking. Seeing her stubbornness, Loki pushed the remaining buttons between their floor and the penthouse.

"I've figured out how these things work, you know. I'm not stupid." He said. Ava was silent. "You'll have to talk to me sometime. Even if it's just to scream my name."

Ava glared at Loki at his sexual innuendo and turned away from him. He decided to try another tactic. Meanwhile, the elevator was creeping its way up, stopping at every floor along the way.

"Like that Captain could be better for you. He's a fool when it comes to women and I can see that when I look at him. You'll be over him soon."

Loki's attack on Steve made Ava grip her arm tightly. Her resolve was slipping. Loki smirked at her reaction.

"And you know it's true. And you know you're stuck with me. Just stop this foolishness now and do what we both know you'll do anyway."

Ava wanted to yell at him so badly. She was on the verge of opening her mouth and he knew it. He could always get people to do what he wanted. He watched her mouth with anticipation as her lips parted.

Then the elevator dinged. The doors opened. And Ava's words turned into a silent scream.

The room was filled with Cybermen. Cybermen in glass cases, seemingly inactive. The elevator doors went to close again and Ava stuck out her hand to stop them.

"No. No no no." She said.

She stepped out. Loki followed her, confused.

"No no no!" She walked down the aisle of Cybermen, looking at each one. "How did they get here? What is Tony doing? !"

She spun to look at Loki. He had a clueless expression on his face. The elevator doors closed behind them, but neither noticed.

"Do you know what they are? !" She gestured to the Cybermen around them. It was the first words she spoke to him willingly in a while, and they were laced with fear. Loki was slightly concerned.

"No." He replied. And it was the truth. What were they?

"They're Cybermen! Humans from the future! Humans who removed their emotions to be better! And I have no idea how on Earth they could've gotten here!" Ava panicked. She looked around. "They kill and they conquer and we need to get out of here before they kill us!"

She turned back to the elevator and walked two steps past Loki before a Cyberman stepped in front of her. She screamed. Loki stepped beside her, still confused but worried.

"May I assist you?" The Cyberman said. Ava was confused. Loki shook his head.

"Foolish human. Your travels with the Doctor have demented your mind. They are nothing more than servants." He said.

"No. No, they're killers! They're just pretending." She said.

"I think not. Watch." He turned to the Cyberman. "Excuse me. You are in our way."

The Cyberman stepped back into its case. It's legs making the same robotic sound they always made. Loki gave her an 'I told you so' look. Ava wasn't fooled.

"Just get to the elevator. We have to get out of here now." She said.

The couple walked to the elevator and pushed the button. They waited and Ava turned to Loki, angry.

"You pushed all the buttons to the top. We're going to be here forever." She said. She lowered her voice. "Trapped on this floor with the Cybermen."

"You're overreacting." Loki told her.

"I've traveled through space and time. I know a Cyberman when I see one." She responded.

"And I've never heard of a Cyberman."

"Because they aren't supposed to exist yet. This is humanity's future." She explained.

Ava kept glancing back to the robots, anxious. Loki occasionally cast a glance back, Ava's behavior making him jumpy. None of them moved.

"You're not fooling me." She hissed.

The elevator dinged and the two got on. Ava pushed the penthouse button. None of the Cybermen moved. After the doors closed, Loki turned to Ava.

"See? Nothing. They're harmless."

"You're the God of Lies. You must know when they're pretending." She reasoned. Loki didn't answer.

The elevator climbed until it hit the penthouse. The doors opened and Ava rushed out.

"I was wondering where you went. The elevator came up by itself, which was a bit freaky-" Tony began. Ava cut him off.

"You have Cybermen in your tower. CYBERMEN." She stood in front of him, her face close to his. "What on Earth are you doing with those things in the same tower where we sleep?"

Tony stood with his mouth wide open, shocked.

"I have no idea what a Cyberman is. If you're talking about the Robot Soldier project turned Robot Servant on the 84th floor, then they're there because they fascinate me and I want to make them work." He explained, lifting his drink to take a sip.

Ava knocked it out of his hand. The glass shattered on the ground.

"Hey!" Steve reached out to calm Ava. She batted him away.

"They are not your toys. They are deadly killers."

"They don't work. There's nothing inside them but wires. They're central processing unit is missing. On all of them."

Ava paused. "Missing?"

"Yeah. Gone."

"Did you find them that way?"

"Yeah. Just standing there."

"Where did you find them?" He paused. "They just appeared, didn't they?" Nothing from Tony. "They just appeared in your house or shop one day and didn't do anything and you just called them harmless and kept them?!"

"I ran tests-" Tony started.

"They're deadly warriors from the future. Our future. Human future. The first time I saw the Doctor look at one, he looked at it with sadness and hatred in his eyes. They take people and take their brains and remove every emotion from them and put them in those things to kill." Ava said. "And you have a whole bunch of unmanned Cybermen waiting down there. Waiting for human brains. And you just gave them the cream of the crop to pick from."

The room was silent as this information was absorbed.

"They're inactive. No type of energy or electricity signature on them at all. Not since they got here." Tony tried to reason.

Ava looked back at Loki. They shared a look.

"One down there moved." Everyone turned to Loki. "I told it to move out of our way and it did."

Fear crossed people's faces.

"They're active." Tony said. He turned to Ava. "They're active and if everything you say is true-"

"They're coming up here for us." Ava finished.

Now everyone started panicking.

"JARVIS!" Tony said. "What are they doing?"

"These "Cybermen" are moving around on the 84th floor. They seem to be congregating towards the elevator. They appear to be-" JARVIS cut off. The power went out.

The room went silent and still.

"They're coming." Clint said.

Everyone looked to Ava.

"What now? How do we stop these things from extracting our brains?" Tony asked.

"I don't want my brain to be extracted!" Darcy panicked. Jane put her hand on her arm.

"Let me think." Ava said.

She had to think. Without the Doctor, it was all up to her. Oh, why couldn't he be here with his sonic screwdriver and his TARDIS to save the day? Ava closed her eyes, thinking of her previous encounter with the Cybermen. Back with the Doctor. Her eyes snapped open.

"They're us." She said.

"What?!" Tony panicked. "Us like us us or-"

"They're human. They're built by humans for humans." She turned to Thor and Loki. "Not Asgardians. If they see you they won't try to assimilate you. Right now they only want human brains to run them. They're not worried about killing or conquering. You two are the only ones that can get close to those things without them trying to assimilate you!"

"Will the two of us be enough for all those Cybermen?" The word felt odd coming from Thor's mouth. "How many are there?"

Ava's brow crinkled in thought. She didn't even try to count them and they couldn't ask JARVIS now-

"I would say 50. Approximately." Loki answered. Ava shot him a confused look. "It's a good trait in battle to be able to count your enemies' numbers quickly."

"Then we will not be enough." Thor said.

"Easy. Bruce can go Hulk. That's just one big emotion right there. I can put on my suit and fight. There's no way they can get to me from inside there. Clint and Natasha can shoot from a distance and Rogers can protect all you normal people. A bit like New York." Tony said.

"That could work." Ava said.

"No, Tony, I'm not letting you go out there when those things-" Pepper began.

The sound of the elevator reaching the top floor stopped her. They all waited in silence. Then the elevator dinged.

There was a blur of motion. Tony tried to call his suit, but the lack of power forced him to run to where his suit was being stored. The first wave of the Cybermen stepped out and Thor ran and swung his hammer at them. Loki shot his magic at one. Bruce Hulk'd out and ran at them.

In no time, the first wave was destroyed and it turned into a waiting game for the next wave. Everyone else ran away from the elevator and was guarded by Clint, Natasha, and Steve on the other side of the room. Clint had his bow and Natasha had her gun. Steve stood in a fighting position, his shield on another floor.

Wave after wave was successfully destroyed. It was going well. Until Erik screamed.

They spun around to see a Cyberman gripping his shoulders.

"You will be assimilated." It said.

It's helmet split down the middle and opened, snapping at Erik. He tried to push it away.

"You will make an excellent Cyberman. Your knowledge will make you a leader." The Cyberman said. Erik screamed again.

Natasha shot at it, only for the bullets to ping off the metal. Clint tried his arrow, but got the same result. Steve tried to use his fists, but more Cybermen appeared in front of the one and he turned his attention to stopping those from reaching the others. He successfully knocked a few heads off. It was panic as Cybermen started to come from both sides and the Avengers could hardly keep up. A Cyberman walked towards Ava.

"Doctor!" Ava yelled, out of fear and habit. She was afraid, truly afraid, and the Doctor wasn't here to fix everything. He wasn't here to save the day.

"The Doctor's companion will make an excellent Cyberman. We will be unstoppable." The Cyberman said. It was getting closer, but she had nowhere to go with Cybermen to the front and back.

Just as the other Cyberman's strength was getting to be too much for Erik, it's head was shot off. They turned to see Loki there, panting. The Cyberman collapsed to the ground. The one approaching Ava was shot down also. More stepped forward from behind the fallen one and he shot at more, using his magic.

After a tiring battle, the Cybermen were all defeated and lying in piles around the room. Tony managed to get the power working again.

"These things are good. Not even my security system could stop them." He said, playing with one of his devices. "I'll arrange for this all to get melted down-" He looked around at all of the scared and exhausted people and destroyed Cybermen. "-immediately."

Everyone nodded in agreement. Ava ran to Steve and embraced him. She glanced at Loki from the corner of her eye. He had saved them. He had honestly saved them. Maybe this punishment was working after all . . .


	13. Chapter 13

"Doctor!"

The Doctor sat up from where he had been reclining on a chair in the TARDIS. That was . . .

"A yell?" Martha Jones said from across the TARDIS controls.

The Doctor took out his psychic paper. The yell was written on it in capital letters.

"It's audible and written on the psychic paper. That's fascinating. Very powerful yell." He commented before putting his psychic paper back into his jacket.

"Aren't we going to help? She sounded like she was in trouble." Martha pointed out.

"She's fine."

"How do you know?"

"Because I know that yell and I know who yelled and I know that they're fine."

"How?"

"She's immortal."

"What? Why would she be yelling to you for help if she's immortal?"

"Because she doesn't know she's immortal." The Doctor explained, standing up. "Now then, where to? How about we visit Shakespeare?"

Martha stood speechless as he flipped the controls. It seemed to her that he never made any sense. She shook her head, putting the yell out of her mind as best she could, and joined him. If he said she was fine, the woman who had yelled must be fine.

* * *

After everything got somewhat back to normal and everybody had recovered and calmed down, Ava and Steve were on the bed in their room. Ava refused to go back to the penthouse.

"It's fine now. Tony's melting those things as we speak. We're safe." Steve tried to console her.

"He's an idiot for having them. If even one stays intact . . . " Ava trailed off.

"He's scanning the entire building. We'll be fine." Steve told her.

" . . . Well alright. But I'm not leaving this room until he says it's fine and proves it to me." Ava agreed. "Can I lay in your arms?"

Steve smiled. "Of course."

Steve leaned back and Ava laid into him. They both had content smiles on their faces.

* * *

Loki rubbed his temples. He couldn't get Ava, cuddled up to Captain Rogers, out of his mind. The brave Captain. The honorable Captain. The _honest_ Captain.

He shut his eyes. He needed to get over this. The Captain would be dead soon enough, and Ava seemed to be able to live for a long time. Things would be back to normal in no time. Then he could have Ava all to himself.

_All to himself . . ._

Why did he want that? Why did he want her to be only his? He opened his eyes and stared at the wall, contemplating. His eyes traced a crack. Why did her relationship with the Captain hurt him so much? He couldn't shake these feelings. He stiffened.

He couldn't . . . he couldn't be IN LOVE?

He quickly shook his head. No. She was just his punishment.

_His punishment to fall in love._

NO. Stop. He would never love her. He couldn't. She'd never love him back.

_She'd never love him back._

Why did that statement hurt him so much? It didn't matter to him that she'd never care for him. No, he was fine. He'd survive.

But right now she was probably in the arms of the Captain.

He slammed his hand down on the table in front of him. No. She wouldn't be allowed to pursue this relationship any further. She was his.

But how to break them up? She was so clingy to him.

Loki smirked. He knew. He had the perfect plan.

* * *

Later at night, Ava walked back into her and Steve's room after leaving to eat. She was surprised to see that he wasn't in the room and it was dark. He had said he would meet her back in their room. She turned on the light and saw a folded paper on their bed. She picked it up and read the quickly written note.

_Ava,_

_Meet me on top of the Empire State Building. I have something to tell you._

_-Steve_

Ava smiled as she finished. He was being romantic. How sweet.

She put the note in her pocket and walked out of the room, turning off the light as she went.


	14. Chapter 14

Ava pouted as she saw the storm clouds. No, please don't let it rain on her and Steve's romantic evening. Yet there was nothing she could do about it, so she didn't let it cross her mind after she stepped onto the deserted deck of the Empire State. She looked from side to side, and found no one.

"Steve?" She called out.

A dark figure stepped out from around the corner.

"Steve? Steve, is that you?" She started walking towards the figure.

The figure stepped forward and the moonlight struck its face. Ava froze and gasped. Loki's face stared back at her.

"Loki? What did you do with Steve?" Ava asked, slightly panicked. She took a step back. Loki took a step forward.

"Steve's not here. I left that note."

"What? Why would you . . . ?" She trailed off, her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

A few raindrops fell in between them.

"To lure you away from him. You're mine." Loki stated simply.

"You still haven't gotten over that? You threw me into a _river_. There's no way I was going back to you after you did that. You tried to kill me!" Ava countered.

Loki offered no response. The rain started to fall more heavily now. The couple glared at each other.

"You're insane." Ava said, shaking her head slightly. She turned to leave, partly to get out of the rain and partly to get away from Loki.

"You hurt me when you go to him." Loki said, grabbing her arm.

She turned to him, surprised.

"The fact that you can just forget about me so easily hurts me. I thought it would've been harder for you to remove me from your life so completely, considering we are married." He stared at her with a sadness behind his eyes.

Ava turned more fully to Loki, sympathy all over her face. He continued.

"And you go to him and you're happy. I'd never seen you that happy when we were married on Asgard." He leaned his face closer to hers. "And I find myself wanting to see you that happy . . . with me."

With those last words, he closed the distance between their mouths. Ava started to push him away, but found herself giving in. He had exposed his true feelings to her. He trusted her enough to open himself up to her. This is what she'd been wanting from him, for him to finally put something into this relationship. The rain fell on them as they kissed. Ava wrapped her arms around the back of his neck and pulled him closer to her. He placed his hands on her back and pressed her against him. It was in this blissful moment, a kiss in the rain on top of the Empire State Building, that Loki realized he was truly happy. He loved her.

That was when the spell ended.

Ava gasped, breaking away from the kiss. She opened her eyes slightly and stared at him, then she went limp in his arms. Alarmed, Loki knelt down holding Ava.

"Ava? Ava?" He shook her. "Ava. Ava, please."

She didn't move. She was dead.

"No. No. No!" Loki sobbed. He hugged her to his chest. "I just got you back. You were finally mine."

He sat there in the rain, holding his dead wife. Minutes passed and the rain fell around him, soaking him and Ava.

"You probably shouldn't have thrown her in the river. Technically, she's 129." The Doctor, having just shown up on the deck, chastised.

"You did this? You killed her?" Loki glared at him.

"No, you killed her. Odin put a spell on her so that she wouldn't die until you loved her and were truly happy with her, because we knew you'd pull something like sending her back in time so she'd die and you wouldn't have to go through the whole punishment. She would still be alive if you hadn't done that. Then she would've been only 20 when the spell ended. Instead, she was 129 . . . and she died." The Doctor explained.

Loki listened and stared down at Ava, her eyes closed and her face peaceful.

"She didn't deserve to die like this. She deserved so much more." Loki said.

"She did, but she only got what you gave her."

"She got what _you_ gave her! You! Giving her up like a pig for slaughter!" Loki yelled, water streaming down his face. Whether it was tears or rain, Loki would never tell.

The Doctor stared down at the widower, his eyes sad.

"I'm so sorry, but it was the only way."

"The only way? ! The only way for what? !" Loki screamed back. He was angry and hurt. The woman he loved was dead. It had taken him so long to get to this point, to admitting to himself that he loved her, and she was taken from him so suddenly after that point that the only thing left for him to feel was anger and hurt.

"The only way for you to realize how precious humans could be. How beautiful they really are. How they don't deserved to be ruled by a tyrant." The Doctor enlightened.

Loki closed his eyes. He opened them and stared down at Ava's face. This was all his fault.

In the silence, the only sound being the rain, the Doctor spoke.

"Do you want to see her? Alive? One more time?" He asked the grieving god. Loki looked up at him, a bit confused. "We can go back in the TARDIS and you can see her, before I even walked into her life. Back when she was just a normal girl living a normal life." He paused. "Do you want to come?"

He held out his hand. Loki looked down at Ava.

"What will we do with her?" He asked softly.

"I'll take her back to her family. They'll love that she's finally home." The Doctor said.

Loki nodded, standing up with Ava in his arms.


	15. Epilogue

In the warm sun, on her day off, Ava Carson laughed with her friends. They were seated outside at a cafe, just talking. They were completely unaware of the god and time lord standing a dozen feet away from them, wearing perception filters around their necks.

"She looks so happy." Loki noted.

"She is." The Doctor said.

Loki stared at his wife, so young even though she was only 18 now. She looked innocent and naive. She had yet to go on adventures in space and time with the Doctor and be married to a tyrannical god. Experience and war had yet to harden her eyes and create lines on her face.

Loki wanted to approach her and tell her all the things he never got the chance to say. He loved her. He regretted ever treating her like she was nothing. He wanted her to live the rest of her life with him. He wanted her to be able to eat the golden apples of immortality and stay with him forever. He wanted more time than he got with her. He wanted her.

Loki and the Doctor stared in silence as Ava talked and giggled. Loki felt comfort wash over him. She was so happy now, and she'd only get happier. The Doctor had told Loki all of the adventures they had and how a smile always found a way to grace her face during those times. It helped his heart heal, knowing she had a good life before it was tragically ended. Before he caused it to end.

He stared at her face, the way her eyes twinkling and her mouth split in two, curving up at the edges. He realized he'd never really appreciated the woman that he had. He wished he could change that now.

He turned to the Doctor.

"We can go now." He spoke softly.

The Doctor, who seemed to have been in his own memories, nodded his head. "Right."

As they both turned to leave, Loki glanced back at Ava once more. She didn't know the things she would do, the life she would live. She was completely clueless. He smiled to himself as he saw her smile and knew her life would only get better from here.


End file.
